Trees are vital to life on earth, and they also make the place look amazing! So let’s take some time to look into what’s beneath the surface of these ancient plants and discover just how great they truly are.
What do they do for us?
What do they do for the planet?
Read on to find out the answers to these questions and discover the top 5 reasons we need to plant more trees on planet Earth.
1. TREES GIVE US OXYGEN
Trees feed via their roots and leaves, pulling in water and carbon dioxide. The energy that the tree absorbs from the sun then converts these components (H₂0 & C0₂) into chemical compounds such as sugars, which it then feeds on.
As a byproduct of this chemical reaction, oxygen molecules are created and released back into the earth’s atmosphere, creating the oxygen that we breathe.
This is the process commonly known as photosynthesis.
Simply put, no trees, no life on earth.
Luckily, we still have some trees left on this planet! 🙂
That said, we need to do all we can to keep it that way by planting more trees and bringing a steady halt to the pillaging of our planet’s lungs.
Read my article on how to get involved in tree planting here.
2. TREES STORE CARBON
As we just talked about, the tree absorbs natural compounds from the environment through photosynthesis to produce oxygen, including carbon dioxide. Trees will store this carbon for long periods of time, as once absorbed, they will then use it over time to help them grow.
This is good news for the environment as it means they are helping us by absorbing and storing some of the carbon from the atmosphere, helping to lower man-made global emissions.
Forests currently store up to 45% of all land carbon, so planting more trees will help to increase this figure and play a vital role in negating the negative effects of climate change.
3. TREES HELP TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND LOWER STRESS
Trees help clean the air that we breathe by absorbing harmful and gaseous pollutants from our atmosphere, in turn reducing the number of airborne diseases.
There are also numerous mental health benefits. Just looking out of the window at a tree, for a few minutes is shown to reduce stress levels.
Research shows that being around green spaces filled with trees supports relaxation, heightens mood, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress-related hormones.
Pathways lined with trees also make people more likely to exercise on those streets, go for a walk or ride to work instead of driving.
4. TREES PROVIDE NATURAL HABITATS AND INCREASE BIODIVERSITY
They do this so efficiently that each tree is like a mini-ecosystem & micro-habitat within itself.
Wherever trees are planted, wildlife and other plants, lichen, and fungi are sure to show up as the tree grows. This is because trees provide food, water, protection, and shelter for a variety of animals.
When they are young, trees offer ideal habitats to an amazing range of wildlife, including insects, birds, and squirrels. Once older, ancient trees continue to offer the perfect habitats for species such as owls, bats, and wood-burrowing beetles who rely on the hollow cover that the tree trunks provide.
5. TREES IMPROVE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTS
As previously mentioned, trees clean the air we breathe, capture carbon, increase biodiversity and improve our well-being, but that’s not all they do to improve our local environments!
They also:
- help filter the water we drink
- provide shade
- keep local climates moderate
- regulate extreme temperatures, both hot & cold
- improve soil & water conservation
- improve the land’s natural ability to adapt to climate change
- reduce the severity or likelihood of floods
So overall… I’d say trees are pretty great!
As the last reason demonstrates, there are actually way more than just 5 great reasons to plant trees.
Now imagine having to manage the environment without trees! All the money in the world couldn’t replace them, and it would be impossible to engineer our way out of the mess we would be in.
Not that, that alone should be the primary reason for saving trees. We should save them just simply because we know deep down that it’s the right thing to do.
That said, with current circumstances, the need to stop cutting down trees and to also replace old ones by planting new trees has never been stronger.
Luckily, we are not in this alone, and there are many great organisations across the globe working on this issue. Big or small, every contribution to the cause helps.
Click here to read my top 4 ways that you can get involved in tree planting yourself.
